In urban areas, pollution of springs and wells often makes it impossible to consume water from natural sources. As a result, drinking fountains become connected to water supply networks, or are abandoned or marked as “unsafe”. Natural water fountains have been excluded from guidelines in the Drinking Water Directive (98/83/EC) in most EU Member States. Nevertheless, in rural areas it is possible to find aquifers with a good status, and traditional fountains being used as a water source beyond the reach of networks or as a back-up when water supply networks fail.

Galicia in Spain is rich in water resources and traditional fountains are common. Although no water purification systems are installed, the water is of good quality and the fountains are widely used. An earlier LIFE project (RURAL SUPPLIES - LIFE12 ENV/ES/000557) showed that natural drinking fountains can be affected by microbiological contamination when deficiencies occur in the protection of water catchments against organic matter (usually manure), a lack of maintenance and the absence of disinfection. This encourages potential users to drink bottled water instead. The presence of drinking fountains of good water quality along major walking routes, such as the Camino de Santiago in Galicia, could reduce consumption of bottled water and provide an inspiration to those responsible for managing other long-distance paths in Europe.

Objectives

The main objective of the LIFE WATER WAY project is to develop a strategy in accordance with the Drinking Water Directive to recover traditional public drinking fountains as a micro-supply solution in areas where centralised water consumption networks have no reach.

Specific objectives of the project include:

Designing an Action Protocol for the recovery of traditional drinking fountains based on risk assessment and management, with input from technical experts from three administrations with competence in the project area (water supply, health monitoring and public water management);

Demonstrating an innovative and cost-efficient treatment system for drinking fountains;

Achieving service sustainability by introducing a new approach that shifts cost recovery to the user, with level of service cost analysed in the prototypes, to give the initiative sustainability and promote responsible consumption;

Implementing the measures along St James’ Way (“Camino de Santiago”) where there is a massive influx of eco-tourists and pilgrims traveling by foot and therefore consuming a considerable amount of water; and

Providing tools that encourage replication of this initiative in other municipalities.

As well as supporting the aims of the Drinking Water Directive, this project is in line with the Water Framework Directive’s (2000/60/EC) goals of promoting responsible water consumption. It has the potential to be replicated in many rural areas in Europe facing water supply problems.

Expected results:

A good practices guide for local authority technicians to ensure that drinking water from natural sources is healthy;

Development of the necessary equipment to enable water purification, and a vending type supply system for potential users in order to cover the service maintenance costs;

Installation of 27 drinking water supply points of guaranteed good quality along a 155.2 km stretch of the St James’ Way in Galicia, a route taken by more than 12 000 pilgrims in 2016. The fountains will be 5.57 km apart, a distance that will take a healthy person about an hour to walk;

An annual supply of 100 m3 of drinking water from recovered springs, equivalent to the consumption of 7 440 users (62% of pilgrims);

Use of the fountains will lead to a reduction in use of plastic bottles of some 1.5 tonnes/year;

Consumption of 3 011 kWh year of renewable energy, for pumping and water treatment in the pilot micro-supply; and

Replication of the system in 90 Galician municipalities along the "Camino de Santiago".

The Ayuntamiento de Abegondo (Town Council of Abegondo) is the legislative body that governs the municipality of Abengondo, which is located in the province of A Coruña (Galicia). The municipality has a population 5 586 inhabitants (2015 census) and a total area of 84 km2.